- 1 - Australian Native Epiphytic Orchids Den. bigibbum The majority of Australian epiphytic orchids can be easily grown in cultivation. Only one species is known to occur naturally in areas near Melbourne, it being Sarcochifus ausfralls. In contrast, there are around 100 species of epiphytic orchids in Queensland. Plants originating from Northern Queensland need growing conditions similar to their natural habitat. When purchasing new plants, the first consideration should always be the conditions necessary for a plant to grow, for, without the appropriate conditions, these plants will not survive. For these reasons seedling plants (weather warm growing or not) grown locally are much better acclimatized to local conditions and are therefore hardier than plants imported from other climatic regions.Plants may be mounted in many materials such as compressed or natural cork slabs, branches of rough barked trees, black weathered tree fern slabs and pieces of weathered hardwood. Brown tree fern slabs contain substances, which are toxic to orchid roots and are not suitable hosts. Those species, which have pendulous or creeping rhizome (Dendrobium teretifolium (Dockrillia) and Dendrobium monophyllum), should normally be mounted. Pests As with other orchid species pests can be a real problem in growing native orchids. In fact some pests are attracted to native plants before attacking any other species of orchid. Snails, slugs, mealy bug, scale, fungi, aphid, grub, grasshopper, rot, and man are the most common problems to name a few. Control as for any other orchid species. The Aboriginal tribes used native orchids such as, Spiranthes, Caladenia, Glossodia, Diuris Microtis, Prasophyllum, Thelymitra, Edochilus, Acianthus, Dipodium, Lyperanthus, Geodorum, and epiphytes such as Cym. Madidum, Cym. Canaliculatum, and Speciosum as a source of food. They also chewed various orchids as medicines for coughs, colds, and dysentery. Fertilizers Epiphytic orchids respond to the regular application of fertilizers by producing strong healthy growth. Fertilizers are best applied during spring and early summer while the plants have a long growing period ahead of them. Late applications of fertilizers may delay dormancy and interfere with flowering. Organic fertilizers are excellent for orchids because they release their nutrients in a slow, gentle manner over a period of time. Blood and bone and hoof and horn are fairly commonly used to promote orchid growth. Liquid fertilizers are an excellent means of promoting healthy growth. Applied at less than the recommended strength means you can apply more frequently, which helps in producing much better growth. Slab Culture Many epiphytic orchids grow well on a slab or a section of a tree branch, and relish the extra air movement and rapid drying which occurs after watering. Plants grown on slabs are easily moved and can moved about until a suitable position is found. Orchids grown on slabs require fairly high humidity and bright light. Orchids with a creeping habit or pendulous stems grow best on a slab, where as those with crowded, erect pseudobulbs are much better accommodated in a pot. Den monophyllum